My Inner Darkness
by The Flame of Eden
Summary: She had been forced to accept her cruel destiny long ago. Yet there are some things that not even destiny could change or stop...


**My Inner Darkness**

**Prologue**

The night smelled of the enticing scent of possibility. She hadn't fed in almost a week now, finding that the prospect of biting just anyone to slake her thirst distasteful. There was suddenly a lack of selfless sorrow and helpless grief. People who were genuinely deserving of eternal dreams were disappearing into an era of vanity and egotism. Perhaps it was simply a matter of pride – she did not want to lower herself to the level of a primitive blood-sucking beast. That was the large gap that defined the difference between her and the rest of her kind. And so she waited – patiently – for her prey. The abstinence from nurishment did not come without a price, however. She forcefully stiffened her hand when she ran it through her hair, trying to still its shaking.

With a weary sigh, she looked up at the moon, pondering its existence in the sky. Even its beauty seemed to mock her, so stained in red was its surface. Red. A perfect, ruby, blood red. Like the blood that she so longed to drink. Hearing a voice calling her name, she was forced to look at the intruder that so suddenly placed its weight upon her lap. Shiina sat there, nestled in the folds of her kimono, her single normal eye scrutinizing.

"You should just eat, Miyu. You can't last too long without blood."

She stifled an annoyed reprimand, leaving it locked behind her lips. Somehow, she wasn't in the mood to argue. Quarelling would lead them nowhere, especially since she wasn't about to change her mind about anything. Instead, she shifted her thoughts in another direction, settling for giving the small rabbit a pat on the head. Stray Shinma had been lessening in number recently. Either they she was succeeding in her mission, or they were getting better at hiding their auras. For some reason, neither former nor latter possibility pleased her in the least. Hesitant to trust that her mission was coming to a close, she much preffered to believe that the Shinma had found a way to elude her senses. There hadn't been any strange accidents lately, and even if there were rumors of missing people, the kidnappers had turned out to be either routine murderers or those who had simply chosen the wrong path in life. Certainly, there were no supernatural influences at work. A mysterious smile came unbidden to her lips. Chisato would have complained of boredom.

"Miyu."

Larva's smooth voice drifted to her ears, serving to calm the sudden ache in her stomach effortlessly. There was no need for explanations. She knew that he disaproved of her current behavior. Yet, there was nothing that he could do about it, especially since he wasn't about to cross the line between them to voice his displeasure. So. She simply said nothing in response to his calling of her name, prefering to uphold the silence that had been such a crucial part of their evening so far. A thought intruded.

"I think I should like to take a walk."

She stood, prepared to leave, and knew that Larva and Shiina would follow without her having to give an invitation. Restlessness had been partners with her hunger of late, so they were used to her desire to take long strolls within the cemetery. Gracefully, she floated down to the ground from the roof of her "house", landing with an ease that any bird would have envied. The chill of the wind bothered her however, a sure sign that her body was unballanced from her hunger. Cursing her herself, she shook it off. Her temple throbbed. No sooned had she felt the discomfort did a warm blackness surround her shoulders. Larva pulled her to him, and she felt his strange warmth seep into her skin. A protest rose to her lips only to be silenced.

"Hush, Miyu…please allow me to assist you now."

She had been trying her best to ignore the dizziness that had assailed her, yet somehow his warmth made doing so much harder. Relaxing in his hold, she said nothing as she leaned against him, wrapping her arms around his waist. He smelled of powerful temptation, of feelings that she rarely allowed herself to experience. She looked up at him, suddenly, feeling a need that overpowered reason.

"Larva, remove your mask."

He did as she bade him without hesitation. As the magical covering left his face, light sea-green, almost silver hair fell forward to frame his face. Red eyes glowed in the moonlight, powerful in their intensity. They held within unspeakable volumes of information – words, memories, confessions that he had gathered through all their years together. Instinctively, she knew that he must be seeing the same in her own eyes, that hers spoke of feelings no less powerful. But something held her back, like a leash of responsibility that she could not break. Destiny, she had called it. A curse she had dubbed it. And until moments like these came – inbetween the times when she felt her feelings for him nearly consumer her – she had not wanted to fight against that curse.

Her eyes skittered away from his as though she had been burned. It was at times like these that she seemed like the vulnerable child that she resembled. Larva knew better. In all these years, that part of her had been almost completely erased. Even though her mood could sometimes be considered playful, and although her rare laughter sounded carefree, she was no longer a child. Placing a gentle hand beneath her chin, he forced her eyes back to his.

"Do not look away from me."

Too many times he had wished to simply look into her eyes without restraint. Those golden orbs glowed like fireflies beneath the fading light of the moon. He wanted to drow there, to forget everything but his need for air – his need to breathe her in like a fragrant essence. Her lips, bathed in the same sparkle as the rest of her visage shone invitingly – full, sensual, and impossibly tempting. She frowned slightly. He noted her palor.

"Larva. This is not-"

"Appropriate?" Her silence confirmed that he had guessed her thoughts correctly. Refusal strengthened his grip upon her chin. "Why must you believe such things?"

"Why must you insist on disbelieving them?" When she tried to look away again, he pulled her to him, knowing full well that she had not the strength to resist. Honestly, he had no answer. Her fingers dug into his cloak, her shoulders tensing. "I cannot escape destiny, Larva."

"I refuse to believe that you are destined for…" he searched for a way to create a noun for her denial of her emotions, yet failed. "That you are destined for this…" he opted. Impatience suddenly tore through his gut – an emotion that was unfamiliar. He knew the reason. He was frustrated with her; with her lack of regard for her safety and well-being. It was as if the break in action had caused her depression to return. He had to wonder though, if it had really ever left. Chisato's death had disballanced her somewhat, although she hardly showed it. As always, she dealt with her conflicts inside herself, refusing to allow him to lend a helping hand. As always, she bound herself to loneliness in almost anything she did.

"You asked me to never leave you alone, yet you push me away."

"Perhaps it is not you I push away…"

The wind blew against them gently, ruffling their hair. He caressed the side of her face. She protested, but he tuned her out. Leaning forward, her forced her chin up once more, and this time, neither could resist the pull of the other. His lips met hers hesitantly at first, more heated the second time, and wildly the third. A small sound escaped her throat. Shock. Perhaps pleasure. Whatever it was, it only served to intensify his longing. Kisses trailed from her lips to her throat where her pulse beat warmly against his mouth. She arched her neck, a sigh leaving her. Her earlobe was so soft that he couldn't stop himself from tasting it, relishing in its sweetness as his tongue traced over it. A shudder raked her entire frame.

Suddenly, they parted, her eyes wide. Neither knew what to do. The line between them had been crossed.

"Why did you do that?" she asked soberly. Once again, he did not have an answer. And despite the fact that he knew that it was wrong, he felt a deep want to repeat the experience. He didn't have to. Her face had a look of helpless pain as she pulled him down to her, covering his lips with hers. She was so soft against him now, her chest pressing against his now that he was leaning down. So small. So impossibly fragile despite the power that resided in her. Before they both knew what was happening, her lips were upon his own neck, and he knew that her instincts called out to her to bite him. Smiling gently, he spoke.

"Drink, Miyu. My blood exists for you, as do I." She was too far gone to respond, and he only flinched slightly as her sharp canines burrowed into his skin. The sensation was incredible as it was powerful. Memories came floating back to him of the night that they had been reborn together. He only panicked briefly when she went limp against him, immediately lifting her up in his hold and wrapping her in his cloaked embrace. He stayed that way for some time, until he felt the skin on his throat regenerating and healing the puncture wounds that she had made.

With turbulence in his chest, he watched clouds settle down to cover the moon.

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**To be continued………**

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**Please review? Your words are always appreciated. **


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